


Gone

by macpetreshock



Category: British Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom, Tom Hiddleston Fandom, Tom Hiddleston RPF, tom hiddleston - RPF
Genre: Actor Tom Hiddleston, Angst, Break Up, F/M, Heartbreak, Love, Marriage, One Shot, RPF, Romance, Short, Short One Shot, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-30 03:38:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6407221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/macpetreshock/pseuds/macpetreshock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom's been gone yet again, away filming, returning to face the stark reality of the harsh consequences his choices have had on his marriage.</p><p>Super short one-shot. Song inspiration: "Gone" by The Head and the Heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gone

GONE

 

 

The front of the house stood dark, no light left on for his return, something that hadn’t happened in twelve years, but Tom paid the cabbie, gathered his luggage, and found his way up the familiar path, fumbling for the door key. With filming running three weeks over schedule, he was immensely glad to be home again.

“Caroline?” he called out in the darkened house as he entered, a bit surprised she hadn’t waited up for him, but what with the flight delay and all, he supposed he couldn’t blame her too terribly much. He should’ve been home five hours ago.

Deciding he didn’t want to wake her if she’d already gone to bed, Tom left his luggage at the door, slipped his shoes off, and quietly made his way through the house, up the stairs, and into their room. He hoped turning his lamp on wouldn’t startle her awake, that perhaps he could rouse her more amorously; however, a click of the switch shed light on an empty bed, Caroline’s side undisturbed.

Tom’s heart leapt into his throat, tears stinging his eyes.

_“One more? Really, Tom? Keep telling yourself that. Five years and a dozen films later, I’m not buying it anymore. There’s never a good time… Never time for us because there’s always some ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ for your career taking priority… And with every one, you’re gone without a second thought for me, Tom. You’re just gone.”_

Wandering from room to room, Tom found, or rather didn’t find Caroline’s possessions. The en suite felt empty without her makeup, hair products, and face creams strewn about that he’d long complained about taking too much space. Bookcases in every room bore large gaps in their previously crammed-full shelves, her favorite books formerly intermingled with his now absent. Framed photos of her family no longer hung on the walls, and every photograph of Caroline and Tom together that lined the mantel lay face down.

Atop the overturned frame of them dancing at their wedding sat an envelope with Tom’s name written in Caroline’s delicate handwriting. Tom took the envelope and the photo to his favorite chair, staring at the captured memory of their past happiness and shedding silent tears late into the night, finally steeling himself to read the letter she’d left.

 

_Dear Tom,_

_I loved you, I truly did, and perhaps a part of me still does. But I can’t wait for you to be a part of our marriage any longer. Twelve years is long enough, too long honestly, but I’ve given you the benefit of the doubt, supported you in everything you wanted to achieve._

_You have it all now, every award you dreamed of winning one day. You’ve shown the world your every talent, awed them on stage and screen, in plays and musicals, film and television. You’ve acted, sang, danced, directed, produced, and written, been award-winning across the board._

_I don’t know what else you need to chase and achieve to be satisfied in your career, and maybe you don’t either. Maybe that’s the problem. You’ll never be happy with yourself. Nothing is enough. You always think you can do better._

_Always trying to do better in your career has come at the cost of doing less in our marriage. You were gone so much you didn’t even notice the distance that remained between us when you were home._

_This time, it’s my turn. You thought you could come and go as you pleased without a thought for me, and I’d always be here waiting when you returned, but not this time. This time, I’m the one who’s gone._

_Don’t wait for me to return, Tom. I won’t._

_No longer yours,_

_Caroline Hiddleston_


End file.
